HANG TIME HEADQUARTERS — It’s easy to get tangled up with semantics during election season. Same goes for injury issues in the NBA.

When you hear that New Orleans Hornets guard Eric Gordon is out indefinitely with a right knee injury, the same one that cost him all but nine games last season and led to him missing the entire preseason and the Hornets’ season-opening loss to the Spurs, you have no choice but to ask an obvious question.

Does “indefinitely” mean that he’s done for the season?

There is no clear-cut answer right now. Gordon has had multiple MRIs and team medical officials have indicated that there is a reason for the pain he’s been experiencing, but no specifics have been made public.

Responding to a question of whether the latest MRI indicated damage, Gordon said: “That’s the reason why I’m not playing. The past three days I’ve been practicing because I thought it would be something I might have to deal with pain-wise. I went to the organization the other day and told them ‘This is not feeling too good. It’s very painful.’ We went and got another MRI.”

Asked his confidence level that he’d be on the court at some point in the near future, Gordon sounded apprehensive.

“It’ll all be decided on by this weekend,” Gordon said. “There’s no timetable. I don’t know that yet.”

Was there any part of him, he was asked, that felt he might miss the entire season?

No timetable and no definitive answer as to when or even if Gordon will join prized rookies Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers in the Hornets’ rotation.

A restricted free agent in the summer, Gordon signed an offer sheet with Phoenix and expressed his desire publicly to play there, only to have the Hornets match the offer anyway.

Not everyone is convinced that Gordon’s injury issues are legitimate. Some folks have even gone so far as suggesting this is his retaliation for the Hornets matching that offer sheet.

But Gordon professed his love for New Orleans before apologizing to Hornets fans and the city for not being able to be a part of what many had hoped would be a turnaround season for the franchise:

“First off I just want to say it’s an honor and privilege to be part of this organization as a player. I know things haven’t been going as well as far as being injured since I’ve been here. I have had (a) reoccurring knee injury since I’ve been here and it’s just tough as a player to go through these things. You’re looking for the best for yourself and to even look forward to see what’s best for the team.

“I look forward as a player to helping this franchise and I always look forward to the best to help this team win. And it has been frustrating. Very frustrating as a player not to do your job every day. I only played nine games last year and I haven’t played a game this year. I haven’t played any preseason games. So it’s been very frustrating watching the guys play and me not being a part of it. I know from the fans perspective, it’s frustrating for them. But for a player, it’s most frustrating for me and this organization. I wanted to put it out there. I know it’s tough. But it’s almost all on me …”

This sounds like it could be the beginning of a saga that could end up dogging Gordon and the Hornets all season, provided Gordon’s season actually gets started sometime in the near future.

To bad Nash went to the Lakers we could’ve made that switch and have Nash take over with his vet leadership to help all the promising rookies on the Hornets. Nash needs a team that will let him play, on the Lakers he doesnt fit any role and all his game skills are being wasted.

Useles, good for nothing ,overpayed garbage knees.He was a waste from the start.We need to see if we can trade him now or use our amnesty clause.Teams trade bad contracts and broken down people all the time.See if we can get some picks and players for him.All summer me and real Hornets fans waited to hear new players signed and “Mr.My heart is in Phoenix” (after one visit) wasted all that time.Dell Demps get to work on shipping brittle knees out of the N.O.

The only thing that would put him out for the season is if there was a serious problem with his articular cartilage, requiring microfracture surgery. I pray that’s not it…

I’m a huge Eric Gordon supporter and I hate to see this happening to him. For people to be questioning his character is crazy… If he’s not playing, then it means he’s really hurt. I’m eager for this MRI to be released.

Right when i saw the hornets signed him to a max contract, I knew it was a horrible idea. even though that he is young and it wont cost nearly as much as the veterans, its still stupid for a guy that is injury prone to receive that.

Some people are just not built to play in the NBA Chris Kaman is another, Andrew Bogut another one 81 games running on the hardwood full speed 48 minutes every other night is no joke. I would just amnesty the guy he clearly is not taking care of his body he has the talent but he’s clearly not built for the NBA schedule. Steph Curry is another one Andrea Bargnani another one these guys are injury prone. There are a lot of hungry ballers globally that would gladly replace these injury riddled players! He made his money no need to feel sorry Just get rid of him!!!

Stop Talking. Eric Gordon and Steph Curry are what, four seasons in? They have too much talent now, as well as upside to let them go over one recurring injury. They just need to handle them right, come back when they’re ACTUALLY healthy, and they’ll be fine.

cant use the amnesty on Gordon, thats only for contracts that were in place when the new CBA was signed before last season… Seems to me like Gordon wasn’t the savior and the big piece of NOH’s future that the commish was holding out for… Scola, Martin, Odom and picks would have been a far better setting for the future of the franchise. THATS why GMs do these deals, not Commisioners trying to be owners…

David Stern didnt veto that trade to help the Hornets. The biggest money market in the NBA (until the Nets moved to Brooklyn) has been Los Angeles. But the NBA has only been cashing in on 1 team. The Lakers. THIS WAS HIS LAST CHANCE TO GET SOME MONEY OUT OF THE CLIPPER ORGINIZATION. And he took it. Now look up who sells out the most at visiting arenas….FOR DECADES IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE LAKERS, NOW THE LAKERS ARE 2ND…..TO THE CLIPPERS. David Stern has been a great commisioner for the NBA. This was just his last move. So yes GM’s make deals for teams. COMMISIONERS MAKE MOVES FOR THE LEAGUE. ….and trust me, I dont like it (im a serious Laker fan) BUT I UNDERSTAND IT

I don’t think its fair to put Andrew Bogut’s name in here. He has played in 65 or more games in every season with the exception of 2 years where he had freak injuries. Amare Stoudemire made a dirty play to push him in the back when he was dunking and he landed badly to damage his elbow. And last year he landed on someone’s foot to cause the ankle injury. Apart from that he has been pretty good for a big guy.

I think once it became evident the Hornets would be drafting Anthony Davis and have a jump-start on re-building, they should either let Gordon walk, or work out a sign-and-trade with Phoenix. I’d like to say he’s a good trade chip now, but he isn’t; not with that much money on his deal and always being injured. In Phoenix, he would have benefited from the miraculous training staff. Now? He’s destined to be a player whose health is always an issue, and will ultimately become known as a bad contract.

I’m a huge Gordon fan, but don’t see how this situation is going to work out well. He’s hurt, and he doesn’t want to be there. And now there’s nothing but negative speculation as to whats “really” going on.